Here’s a story that lit up Twitter Thursday night in a huge way only to lead to more questions the following day. Wall Street Journal reporter Rebecca Ballhaus reported that the White House wanted the USS John McCain “out of sight” for Trump’s visit to Japan and that a tarp was hung over the ship’s name ahead of Trump’s arrival.
Turns out she was right and wrong. Someone at the White House had made the request, but the photo of the tarp covering the ship’s name had been taken the day before Trump’s arrival. The Navy Chief of Information tweeted that “the name of USS John S. McCain was not obscured during the POTUS visit to Yokosuka on Memorial Day.”
However, the U.S. Navy has acknowledged that it did receive an email from the White House, from whom we don’t know. The always level-headed @AG_Conservative sums things up pretty well:
USS McCain story is a perfect example of a lot of what is wrong with the news environment.
Original WSJ story had 2 central claims:
1) Someone at WH made a request to hide USS McCain during Trump's visit.
2) Navy took various steps (tarp, vacation) to comply with that request.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) June 1, 2019
The evidence, as confirmed by the Navy today, overwhelmingly supports that claim 1 was correct and claim 2 was wrong.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) June 1, 2019
The story went viral because of both claims.
Now Trump and supporters used claim 2 to suggest the whole story is fake news. While the media, instead of acknowledging the issues with the original story, simply moved all focus to claim 1.
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) June 1, 2019
Now everyone thinks their narrative is confirmed.
That's why even those of us who got both claims right from the start face criticism for not supporting the narrative certain people prefer. pic.twitter.com/T8EiuyvzS2
— (((AG))) (@AG_Conservative) June 1, 2019
Recommended
So basically it’s just much ado about nothing.
— Nancy (@SameOldNancy) June 1, 2019
The press tried to make it something, and The Resistance will certainly remember the whole affair. Dan Rather even has an idea:
Perhaps the USS John McCain hat will become the anti- MAGA hat.
— Dan Rather (@DanRather) June 1, 2019
Will Trump supporters then harass and assault people wearing the McCain hat in thrift stores and restaurants? Will CNN find some high school kids in McCain hats and do a feature on their patriotism?
Twitchy favorite Rob Province asks the same question we asked when Dan Rather poked his nose in …
Anyone remember how the left treated McCain in 2008? https://t.co/eO8RIKB9Mk
— EducatëdHillbilly™ (@RobProvince) June 1, 2019
@PepperidgeFarm remembers.
— Jon Lambert (@pogojoe2011) June 1, 2019
I do, and I was no fan of McCain.
— Nick Carroll (@LibertyAndTech) June 1, 2019
Heck, we’re old enough to remember the hot takes that McCain was a racist because he referred to Barack Obama as “that one” during a debate.
Heck, the Left's love for W is amusing, considering all times they compared him to Hitler.
— Mackenzie Lambert (@CinemaMack) June 1, 2019
Just using him like they do everybody else. When it’s no longer fashionable it’ll be tossed aside.
— Crash Letalien (@Coach_Crash) June 1, 2019
Nope! Memory holed!
The privilege of rewriting history is the most hallowed of all Democratic traditions.
— Michael Hat, Agent of G.I.R.L. ︽✵︽ (@RexDart1) June 1, 2019
Everybody has amnesia.
— AnnaB (@July1776Boston) June 1, 2019
Like this? pic.twitter.com/xjjhe6IZPm
— John The Jay (@jabster42) June 1, 2019
— David Edward ? (@_David_Edward) June 1, 2019
And years later Planned Parenthood was dropping off a pink superhero’s cape at his office to thank him for his vote against repealing Obamacare.
He was "Literally Hitler" of 2008.
— Anthony Jumper (@aijumper) June 1, 2019
The left apparently loves republicans after they lose
— Psalm91_1 (@psalm91_1) June 1, 2019
yep, crazy how he's not a racist war-criminal to them anymore
— Gianbattista (@gbtiepolo1) June 1, 2019
Always funny to see people who bash McCain any other time suddenly treat him like a saint when it involves Trump.
— Kyle Tittle (@Tittlewk93) June 1, 2019
Democrats love old dead republicans.
— Roscoe Tanner (@tanner_roscoe) June 1, 2019
Also remember how surprised he was when the left "turned" on him. He was their favorite Republican right up until he became the nominee. The 2 times the left liked him? – a thorn in Bush's side, and a thorn in Trump's side.
— Phlipper (@PhilipTaylor16) June 1, 2019
McCain and Romney is how we wound up with Trump.
— soonerhokie (@soonerhokie) June 1, 2019
Exactly.
Thank GOD.
— Ms. Kux??⭐⭐⭐Cabal Fighter (@ms_kux) June 1, 2019
— (((L.N. Smithee))) (@LNSmithee) June 1, 2019
Of course Dan Rather is recommending the left engage in mass-stolen valor.
— Ayn Banned (@AynBanned) June 1, 2019
It’s definitely on-brand for him.
Related:
SHOCKA! WSJ journo Rebecca Ballhaus who reported WH wanted USS John McCain out of sight has history of ‘fake news’ https://t.co/khoUFEGQ10
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) May 30, 2019
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